Wednesday, January 23, 2008

LibDem Bloggers Turn on Clegg Over EU Referendum

There seems to be some disquiet in the LibDems about their line on a European referendum. Clegg unilaterally changed their line in his Today Programme interview yesterday, which has not gone down well with some of the Yellow Peril. The party was going to abstain on voting on a referendum but under severe questioning Clegg blurted out that they would actually be whipped to vote against, and support the government.

Norfolk Blogger, Quaequam, Stephen Tall and Gavin Whenman have all slagged off Nick Clegg's refusal to commit his party to a referendum. Tell me, are there any LibDem bloggers at all who support their new leader's calamitous stand? Just asking.

16 comments:

But what will the Lib Dems do when they realise this ? Perhaps Clegg is hoping that, as with Tony Blair, by the time his party realise he is not 'one of them', it will be too late...

January 19, 2008 6:59 PM"

[asquith]"Anonymous at 6:59, I'm afraid Clegg is a true liberal. He is the real deal, the Tories are not. People in the 21st century will not support the Dominic Lawsons and Bruce Andersons of this world.

January 19, 2008 7:22 PM"

It all seems rather prescient now, does it not ? Thought you were getting a 'real' Liberal ? Sad that you find that you have bought a shameless, grasping politician prepared to sacrifice his party's principles for a sniff at a few votes, in the manner of Teflon Tony Blair ?

Too late now ! You are stuck with him for the next General Election and beyond !...

Clegg is a Tory but he is a Heathite Tory and the gaping hole between supposed Libertarianism and rabid Pro European obsession will not wash . Nor will this line on voting on the whole thing . Thats how they do it. The EU accretes but if you demur at any stage you have to throw the lot out .

The ratification debate will show him, at his weakest and I do not agree he has done anyhting very good .He occupies ground between Blair and Brown...whats the point of that ?

He is a traitor when all is said and done and for a man with no nation or loyalty like him...why not .

[neil craig]"He sounded presentable on Marr's show this morning. Quite a lot of stuff about choice & "climate change" only got mentioned once. Of course he got an easy ride & wasn't asked anything difficult like the referendum on the EU consti-treaty.

January 20, 2008 3:44 PM"

Andrew Marr strikes again !! Perhaps Brown dropped a little hint to him to avoid this touchy topic.

Change leader every whip stitch, and then, once they are installed you find that there is a little problem..

This one drinks too much..

This one is too old...

This one won't do as he's told...

It must be like in the days of BL where patriotic types would insist on buying British Leyland cars, and the Morris Marina / Austin Princess / Triumph Dolomite would be fine as you drove it out of the showroom, and just about until you got it to your home, and then you noticed a few rattles that weren't there before, and then the problems started...

Dear God- this just adds to the entire thesis that the Libbies are a pointless PC EU loving rabble with no real core beliefs hence no real policies. They claim to be 'the most democratic party' in the country- heck, some claim where they won't bring themselves to vote on a referenda regarding the Treaty/Constitution/Lie?Stitch-up.

I don't agree with Clegg's policy either, but it's hardly the end of the world. Not like you're enamoured with Cameron, is it?

Cameron has the right idea on the EU treaty and other things. But the party which actually does stand for personal responsibility, individual liberty, lower taxes is still the LibDems. We won't make a song and dance about how "moral" we are, or masturbate over our ideological purity, we'll just get the job done.

Additionally, "Vote Clegg, get Brown/Cameron" is a despicable anmd cowardly thing to say. I'm going to vote Clegg because I want Clegg, notwithstanding the fact that I disagree with some of his policies.

And don't quote me as "a LibDem", either. I'm not a joiner, and I'm not beholden to any party. I just think they're the best around, and I retain that opinion.

Are there any Conswervative bloggers who still support their leader in spite of his pro-Brit/Scot, anti-English, eurofederalist ways? Yes, most of them and I imagine it's for the same reason the Lib Dum bloggers continue to support their party.